Holly Blue - Favourite Photo of 2020

[Wurzel]

Holly Blue - Favourite Photo of 2020

Week 8

So 2020 is fast disappearing - good! The temperatures are dropping - noy so good but at least we have the Favourites thread to warm up the cockles

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Just a reminder - it might be a good idea to select your Overall Favourite Butterfly Photo of 2020 now so that you’ve got something to post when the series of threads culminates in 20 weeks time…


Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[downland boy]

When lockdown began back in April, I spent a lot of time sitting in the garden with a cup of tea in hand and binoculars around my neck. On 10th April, I spotted a Holly Blue fluttering back and forth along the holly hedge and it looked like a female searching for egg laying sites. I ran up the garden and watched her for about 20 minutes. She eventually laid one egg before disappearing through the back of the hedge.


http://eastsussexwanderer.blogspot.co.uk

[David M]

For the first time, I managed to see mating pairs of this species in 2020. This couple had an onlooker to deal with, but he thankfully didn't interfere:

I also managed to find a female in isolation who allowed several close-up images:

[petesmith]

For the first time, I managed to see mating pairs of this species in 2020. This couple had an onlooker to deal with, but he thankfully didn't interfere:

That's a good capture David! Never seen a mating pair of this species...

[Lee Hurrell]

A male that was feeling photogenic at Basing Wood, Basingstoke in July.

Holly Blue, male, Basing Wood, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 10th July 2020

Holly Blue, male, Basing Wood, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 10th July 2020

[Neil Freeman]

Unlike other areas from where I saw that Holly Blue was having a good year, they were thin on the ground around by me this year. I only saw around half a dozen during the spring, most of these passing through my garden.
My favourite has to be this spring brood female which was the only one I saw all year which opened its wings properly.

Holly blue female - Coverdale 14.05.2020

The summer brood did a little better but numbers were still down on previous years.

Holly blue female - Coverdale 26.04.2020

I reckon that the parasite/host cycle operates at different times around different parts of the country and around my patch at least we were on a low point of the cycle.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Goldie M]

I was lucky enough to see two Holly Blues laying eggs this year, one in my Daughters garden in July Kent and the other one in my own garden in August in GM, the latter had a bit more wear and tare to it . Also in Kent the same garden one HB looked lovely on the flowers there so can't resist posting three Goldie

[bugboy]

Hmmmm, not a hope in picking out a single favourite picture from these this year. I reared some for the first time, captured images of freshly emerged adults, pristine ones on their release and then had a pair in-cop on the south coast in November! So I've cheated and combined a selction in one picture

[David M]

Hmmmm, not a hope in picking out a single favourite picture from these this year. I reared some for the first time, captured images of freshly emerged adults, pristine ones on their release and then had a pair in-cop on the south coast in November! So I've cheated and combined a selction in one picture

Understandable, Paul. You gave Pete Eeles a run for his money with this species in 2020.

[Wurzel]

Holly Blue

I couldn’t decide on which of two images that I think of as my Favourite Photo for this species so I decided to cheat and opt for them both – this should be okay as I didn’t get to see High Brown Fritillary this year and due to Co-vid Daneways was closed to the public/the public were discouraged from visiting during the flight of the Large Blues so I dipped on them as well…

My first came from the first brood and was a cracking female that posed nicely in between egg laying at Five Rivers. I got to spend quite a bit of time with her so observed the balletic way that she would pirouette around the flower top, delicately angling her abdomen down and round as if pointing her toes. She was beautifully fresh and in the spring sun she would change from azure blue through to almost blinding white as the light reflected off of her scales.

The second came from the second brood at Martin Down and was a cracking male that partially opened up revealing the untidy chequering on the fore wing. I chose this one as he too behaved nicely, keeping down low and posing nicely unlike his mates that were all intent on flying as high as they could more like Hairstreaks than Blues.

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel

[millerd]

As always, this is an impossible choice. I found a good two dozen candidates for favourite photo of this species from my local patch, even though the second brood was disappointing in 2020 and the third almost non-existent. No November Hollies this year, sadly.

However, the year was notable for me actually finding mating pairs here for the first time, something that (after all this time) occurred no less than three times. They seem to get together in rather inaccessible spots for the most part, either high up or at the back of thickets of brambles. However, one of the three couples presented themselves a bit closer.

A couple of days later, I spotted some attempted courtship and managed a shot of a distinctly moving target. However, it showed a distinct difference between the blue colour of the two sexes.

However, if I have to choose anything summing up a sunny April morning with the new bramble leaves unfurling, and a butterfly outshining the blue sky, this might be it.

Dave

[MikeOxon]

A welcome visitor to my garden, where I have plenty of Ivy and Holly trees to meet its needs. They're always tricky to photograph - usually rapidly searching for mates and only resting briefly, usually high in the shrubs.

I caught this one in characteristic pose, ready to sally forth again.

garden, Abingdon - 7th April 2020
Olympus E-M1-ii with 100-400mm lens - 1/1600s@f/8 ISO 640

Mike

[Philzoid]

When it comes to photographing Holly Blue’s I never seem to get a picture I’m really satisfied with, like the many envy-inducing open-wing ones that frequently appear here. 2020 was no exception. What was of note was encountering females ovipositing on Goats Rue (as in this photo) and ling heather on Horsell Common.